Dessert: Upside Down Ice Cream Cake

Raw vegan gluten free lemon ice cream cake.

Delicious, beautiful, healthy and pretty easy. Only downside is you have to eat it the same day you make it. Not a problem for me! If you froze it, it might be ok, but frozen fruit and rock hard ice cream isn't my cup of tea.

Crust:

2 cups shredded coconut
1 cup walnuts
1 cup dates
Pinch of salt

Ice cream:

4 frozen bananas
Juice and rind from 1-2 lemons

Fruit for topping:

One kiwi
Strawberries
Blueberries.

Line a bowl (i used a small micing bowl) with plastic wrap and lay down some sliced fruit.

Process crust ingredients in food processor or strong blender until a dough forms. Take about 2/3 of dough (enough to cover fruit in bowl) and press flat on counter lined with plastic wrap or parchment. Transfer to bowl and gently press to stick fruit into dough without totally squishing them.

Flatten the remainder of the dough into a circle the size of the bottom of your cake (top of your bowl). If you are not planning to eat the cake yet, stop now and refrigerate.

When ready to serve, make the ice cream, and fill the bowl. Cover with the circle of dough, trying to attach "lid" to the dough lining the cake. You can place in freezer for a few minutes (not long enough to freeze solid if necessary)

Invert bowl on serving platter, pulling plastic wrap to dislodge. Use a sharp knife to slice. Mine made about 6 servings.

The most complicated part of the recipe is the assembly. I should have taken step by step photos! It's really not that hard!

Dessert: Red Velvet Cheesecake of the Vegan Variety

Here is a quick recipe, easy to make and super delicious. If you don't have a VitaMix, use a food processor and soak the nuts and dates before hand!
The crust I made was too hard, but I will tell you what I did anyway.


Crust (Prepare cookie crumbs with margarine according to package or add some soy milk maybe instead)
1 cup melted Choc chips
1 3/4 cup chocolate cookie crumbs

Combine and press into 8 inch round cake pan lined with plastic wrap or spring form pan. Place in freezer to set.

1 can coconut milk
2 cup cashews (soaked if necessary)
1 package soft silken tofu (12 oz)
3/4 cup dates
1 tsp vanilla
dash salt
Juice of 1 lemon

Blend until smooth. Remove about 1/3 and set aside in fridge.

1 cup melted chocolate chips
1/4 cup cocoa
Red food coloring

Add to the 2/3 remaining and blend. Pour half the chocolate mix into the crust. Place in freezer until set, then top with half of the vanilla. Repeat with chocolate layer, and again with the remaining vanilla.
Top with chocolate curls or whatever you'd like.

Rainbows (and Pinterest)

I joined Pinterest a while ago (find me, madisonconlin) but have just recently started using it. I have already made many recipes based on inspiring photos and foodstuff I have pinned. Also hair styles. I like that, its like a craft you can make right now! But I digress.

Rainbows.

I love rainbows, I always have. I love bright colours. If you've ever seen a painting by me, you know this. (Also my hair!) Pinterest is full of rainbow foods. And I have contributed to this. Rainbow Popsicles, rainbow fruit trays, and rainbow cake.

The popsicles are just mashed up fruit, strawberries, mango, kiwi and blueberries. Very refreshing.
The cake is just vanilla cake with (not very well incorporated) food colouring and vanilla icing and fruit decoration. If I did it again and had more time (baking with children around requires crafyness and speed) I would colour it with fruit. I'll let you know if I try it.

I want to make rainbow cupcakes in mini mason jars. With tie-dyed style frosting. Not to mention a million other things I have been overstimulated with because of Pinterest. I love it.

Keep Pinning!

Dessert: Chocolate Mint Chip CUPCAKE Cone

Wandering through the grocery store aisle yesterday I happened upon some sugar cones. It reminded me that I suck at making cake pops and I've wanted to try cake cones instead. I turned the box to the ingredients and was pleasantly surprised that the President's Choice brand had no milk or eggs in it. I could definitely make my own sugar cones, but its always nice to simplify, especially on a first attempt.

This morning I googled cupcake cones, and read quickly through a recipe by Martha Stewart. I find its good to get a sense of how things will work before I willy nilly start making stuff up. Martha is always inspirational too. So I used her instructions on using tinfoil over a pan to stick the cones in for baking. It would have worked well if I hadn't put too many in, but in the end I figured it out. I decided on an ice cream inspired flavour for my cones, mint chocolate chip. Chocolate cupcake batter with a hint of peppermint, and mint icing with chopped up chocolate chips. Mmm. 

Chocolate cupcake batter (From Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World)

1 cup soy milk

1 tsp apple cider vinegar 

3/4 cup sugar 

1/3 cup canola oil

1 1/2 tsp vanilla 

1 cup flour 

1/3 cup cocoa 

3/4 tsp baking soda 

1/2 tsp baking powder 

1/4 tsp salt

AND 1 tsp peppermint extract. 

AND sugar or waffle cones to bake in. I used 16, but it will vary depending on the size. According to Martha, you put 2-3 tablespoons of batter per cone.

Preheat over to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover a deep baking pan of some sort (I used an angel food cake style pan) securely with tin foil. Use a pointy object to poke a hole, and insert your first cone until it touches the bottom of the pan, or until just a bit is sticking out. Continue until all your cones are in the pan, and do not put them too close together or the tin foil will rip and spill your batter. Use a second pan if you need more room. Learn from my mistakes people! Do not try to fit more in.

Pour some batter into each cone. You probably shouldn't overfill too much, although it might work to have muffin tops out of the cone. Bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean, mine took about 25 minutes. Start checking around 18. Allow to cool. 

While the cones cool, prepare icing. 

Mint Chip Icing 

1/2 cup vegan margarine (I used Earth Balance. A combination of margarine and shortening would work, or even some coconut oil. It has been really hot here though, so I did not want my icing to melt) 

3 1/2 cups icing sugar 

1/4 cup (more or less depending on how thin you want it)soy milk 

1/2 tsp vanilla 1 tsp peppermint extract 

1 smidgeon green food colouring 

1/2 cup chopped chocolate chips (chopping makes the texture more like ice cream, worth it!)

Whip the margarine with beaters til soft and fluffy. Add sugar and milk small amounts at a time, alternating. Once they are incorporated, add extracts and food colouring. Whip a minute or two and then fold in chocolate. Refrigerate until cupcakes are completely cooled. It is nice to work with icing that is a little firm. 

I attempted to use an ice cream scoop to put my icing on the cones, but it wasn't successful. My scoop lacks an eject button, which might help. I smeared it on and it looked good anyway. I fashioned a little stand for my cones, but they were too tall to fit under my cake stand lid, so I ended up laying them down. Whatever works!

Yuuum.

Dessert: Ridiculous brownies.

Slutty Brownies.

That is not a very kind name for these delicious brownies.  It is also not very "family friendly"... Originally the recipe flying around the interwebs for this dessert (um, its more than a dessert) was 3 prepackaged items, cookie dough, Oreos, and brownie mix, which also contributed to the negative title of recipe, since it was fast and easy (and filthy of course).
This vegan version still packs an Oreo center (someday I hope to make a homemade cookie center), but I used simple cookie and brownie recipes to ensure veganness (and also I never have or use mixes).

Without further adieu, this is how to make Slutty Vegan Brownies (Or Strumpet Brownies, or Double Cookie Brownies, or Big Booty Brownies).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 9x13 pan with parchment (or don't, it just makes it a bit tidier).

Cookie layer:

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened milk of choice
2 tbs starch (corn, tapioca, arrowroot, whatever)
1 tbs vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1tp salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Wisk the first 5 ingredients (down to and including the starch) until it turns into a caramel like consistency. This is important. Add the rest of the ingredients except the chips and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon. Fold in chocolate chips. Press mixture into bottom of your pan.
Layer Oreos onto cookie dough, pretty much touching each other. It should use most of the box, with a few leftover (You know there ain't no such thing as leftover Oreos).
No need to clean your cookie mixing bowl, use it to mix your brownies.

Brownie topping:

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup water
2/3 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla

Sift or wisk dry ingredients, then add wet and stir. Pour over cookies. Bake for about an hour. I started checking mine around 40 minutess but it took over an hour. Test with a toothpick. If it comes out dry it is done. Beware sticking it into the cookies though, the melty chocolate chips will cause a false negative!
Allow to cool before cutting. This will be torturous. Believe it or not though, these are better when cool. Sounds crazy, but its true. Maybe the flavours meld. I think its more to do with Oreos though, as they are designed to be eaten at room temperature.

Another warning; the actual reason behind the original name of these, Slutty Brownies, most likely has something to do with what happens when you eat them. You want more, and more, and more. And then you really regret your choices. Uuuugh too much of a good thing!